The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, with its headquarters located in the City of New York, is an Eparchy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, The mission of the Archdiocese is to proclaim the Gospel of Christ, to teach and spread the Orthodox Christian faith, to energize, cultivate, and guide the life of the Church in the United States of America according to the Orthodox Christian faith and tradition.

See the latest news and information from and around the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. From the latest official news releases and encyclicals to headlines from parishes and organizations across the Archdiocese and around the world, stay informed of what's happening. Read news online or download the latest print edition of the Orthodox Observer!

Archbishop Demetrios, Geron of America, is the Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America since 1999. He was born Demetrios Trakatellis in Thessaloniki, Greece on February 1, 1928. In 1950 he graduated with distinction from the University of Athens School of Theology. In 1960 he was ordained a deacon, and in 1964 a priest.

What is Orthodox Christianity?
The Orthodox Christian Faith proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the teachings of the Apostles, and the tradition and life of the living Church worldwide through worship, communion, witness, and service.

​The Archdiocese responds to the spiritual needs of the Greek Orthodox Christian Faithful through National Ministries, providing programs and services to your local parishes, Metropolises, and you. We invite you to prayerfully consider sharing the resources given to you by God with a donation to the Archdiocese. Your support helps us further the vital ministry work.

The Stewardship Subcommittee on Planned Giving has developed resources to assist the faithful in their estate planning and end-of-life concerns while encouraging them to remember the Church in their plans. These resources outline both the temporal and eternal importance of including the Church in one’s financial and estate planning.

The success of your parish program will be directly related to your efforts. We encourage you to establish a parish Planned Giving Committee and an Eternal Light Society to recognize donors. Personal contact made with individual parishioners to share this information and to encourage planned giving will yield the best results. A mail-only campaign will have only limited results, while personal contact and small group presentations have proven to be highly effective.

The planned giving folder outlines the methods of planned giving, from simple to complex. It is accompanied by a plan for implementing a planned giving program in your parish. Other documents include a sample codicil, gift form, and sample language for wills and trusts. A living will is available that can be filled in and reviewed by your family, doctor and legal adviser. A brochure has also been prepared for your literature table and for targeted mailing.

We encourage you to begin by including the phrase “Remember the Church in Your Will” and “Join the Eternal Light Society of our Parish” in all bulletins, newsletters, on bulletin boards and electronic communications. Your pledge card should also have a place to indicate an interest in planned giving to the church. Through repetition, it can become a common expectation among parishioners that a gift to the Church should be a part of every person’s estate plan.

A Living Will is available that has been tailored to the needs of Orthodox Christians to assist the faithful in providing necessary information regarding one’s wishes end-of-life plans. Living Wills are available from the Department of Stewardship, Outreach & Evangelism.

We encourage you to begin by including the phrase “Remember the Church in Your Will and Estate Planning” in all bulletins, newsletters, on bulletin boards and electronic communications. Your stewardship commitment card should also have a place to indicate an interest in planned giving to the church. Through repetition, it can become a common expectation among parishioners that a gift to the Church should be a part of every person’s estate plan.

The information contained on the website of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is for informational purposes only. Certain individuals and institutions are presented for reference purposes only and may not be under the supervision or jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. The Holy Archdiocese does not exercise any administrative oversight or assignment authority over clergy that are not part of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.